Jackie Yamanaka

Jackie Yamanaka has been news director at YPR since 1986. From her home base in Billings, Jackie covers a wide range of issues across Montana and Wyoming. During the Montana Legislative session, she re-locates to the state Capitol in Helena where she has another office.

During her tenure she has won numerous journalism awards from Public Radio News Directors, Inc.; The Society of Professional Journalists, The Montana Broadcaster’s Association EB Craney Awards; The Montana Associated Press; and elsewhere.

Jackie received a degree in Mass Communications from Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University Billings). She is secretary of the Montana Freedom of Information Hotline (http://www.montanafoi.org/) and a past board member of Public Radio News Directors, Inc. When she’s not working she enjoys running and hiking with her dogs, fishing, shooting sporting clays, and playing tennis.

Ways to Connect

Voters who were hoping to get a break from politics now that the Montana primary ended this week may be disappointed to learn Tuesday's balloting was actually the “starting gun” for the November general election.

Experience and money headlined yesterday’s outcome in Montana’s primary election. Montana State University Political Scientist David Parker has this analysis of both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate contested primaries:

The Associated Press declared Kathleen Williams of Bozeman the winner of Montana’s U.S. House primary just before 4 a.m. Unofficial returns showed the former Bozeman lawmaker leading Billings attorney John Heenan by 33-to-32% in the crowded Democratic field.

Matt Rosendale emerged as the victor in Montana’s Republican U.S. Senate primary after an early see-saw battle with former state District Judge Russ Fagg. Early unofficial returns showed Rosendale garnered 33% of the votes to Fagg's 29%.

The Northern Cheyenne tribe and St. Vincent Healthcare are partners in a new program that changes the way pregnant women, suffering from addiction, are treated. Instead of being greeted with blame and punishment these women are being met with support services.

The charge ‘campaigning on the taxpayer’s dime’ is a perennial issue elected officials confront. This time, U.S. Senate Candidate Russ Fagg has been hammering his primary election opponent Matt Rosendale for doing that and alleging he’s using a “slush” fund to mix official and campaign business.

YPR did some digging into those charges, as well as what may be the long term impact on our democratic institutions.